Pride and Prejudice
by shipatfirstsight
Summary: Pride and Prejudice Klaroline AU/AH. Klaus is Mr. Darcy and Caroline is Elizabeth. When they meet, a slight by Klaus cause Caroline to vow to hate him, but he can't seem to resist her. And Caroline can't help but be enthralled by him as well. *Hiatus*
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** **Pride and Prejudice Klaroline AU/AH. Klaus is Mr. Darcy and Caroline is Elizabeth. When they meet, a slight by Klaus cause Caroline to vow to hate him, but he can't seem to resist her. And Caroline can't help but be enthralled by him as well.**

**Okay, so this is mostly going to follow the storyline of Pride and Prejudice, but with a few added/changed details (and changes to historical/ period truths), and with the Vampire Diaries characters instead; some character s will be OC for the purposes of this story. Follows the book plot, and the movie(s).**

**List of Main Characters and their Pride and Prejudice Counterparts:**

**Caroline Forbes- Elizabeth Bennet**

**Elizabeth Forbes- Mrs. Bennet**

**William Forbes- Mr. Bennet**

**Bonnie Forbes (adopted child)- Jane Bennet**

**Katherine Forbes- Lydia Bennet**

**Elena Forbes- Kitty Bennet **

**Klaus Darcy- Mr. Darcy**

**Kol Mikaelson- Charles Bingley**

**Tatia Mikaelson- Caroline Bingley**

**Rebekah Darcy- Georgiana Darcy**

**Damon Salvatore- George Wickham **

**Jeremy Collins- Mr. Collins**

**Anna Lucas- Charlotte Lucas**

**Jenna and Alaric Saltzman-Aunt and Uncle Gardiner**

Esther de Bourgh-Lady Catherine de Bourgh

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries or Pride and Prejudice**

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

The man may not know his want, especially upon moving to a new neighborhood with many a single woman, all of them hoping to be lucky enough to marry into wealth, but it is a truth none-the-less.

"My dear Mr. Forbes, have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?" Elizabeth Forbes questioned, sweeping into the room, excitement etched across her features, though her husband did not notice her expression.

"I had not." William Forbes responded, barely lifting his gaze from the paper in front of him to glance at his wife and mother of his four daughters.

"Well, do not you want to know who has decided to take it?" His wife was clearly angered with her husband's lack of excitement at her news, for she was overjoyed by it, and was impatient to let him know exactly why she was so happy at these new circumstances.

"My dear, if you want to tell me, I doubt I can stop you." Mr. Forbes stated, though he folded his newspaper and put it to the side, focusing his attention on his wife, knowing she would only pester him until he paid attention to her.

"Mrs. Lockwood has just been here and she told me all about it. Netherfield has been taken by a young man with a large fortune from the north of England. He came down on Monday in a carriage with four horses to see the property, and was so happy with the place that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; he is to take possession within the next few weeks, and his servants are to arrive by the end of the week."

Knowing where she expected him to drive the conversation, he questioned with a slight sigh, one that went unnoticed by his wife, "And what is the man's name?"

"Mikaelson; and isn't it a fine name?"

"I suppose so, my dear. Is he married or single?"

"Oh! He is single to be sure; a single man of large fortune. Mrs. Lockwood said it was four to five thousand a year. A fine thing for our girls."

"How does it affect them?" He asked incredulously; he honestly had no idea what this news had to do with his girls.

"He has to marry one of them my dear Mr. Forbes, surely you must see that!"

"I don't see why I must see anything. Is that his purpose in settling here?" Mr. Forbes was loathe to even consider the possibility that one of his girls was to leave him, and refused to see any single man as anything but a threat, especially to his Caroline, whereas Mrs. Forbes viewed all rich, single young men as beings sent from above.

"Purpose? No, but he could _fall in love _with one of them, and **you** must visit him as soon as he comes so that we may have dinner with them and introduce him to our girls. You will die soon, and someone needs to be able to care for this family."

"So eager to kill me off, my dear? In any case, you should go, my dear, with the girls so that this Mikaelson fellow can see them if you want him to marry one of them so badly. I shall write him a letter and let him know of my consent to him marrying any of my daughters and throw in a good word for my darling Caroline."

"You will do no such thing Mr. Forbes! She is not half as beautiful as Bonnie, or as fun to be around as Katherine, or even Elena. Caroline is not a bit better than her sisters, and she does not deserve any special treatment. Bonnie should be married first; even if she is adopted, she is technically our child and she deserves to be married well."

"None of them have much appeal, I find them silly and ignorant like other girls, but Caroline has a sharpness that is lacking in her sisters that makes her more appealing. She would make the best wife out of all of them."

"Mr. Forbes! How can you say such things about your own children? You delight in making me angry and have no sense of compassion for my nerves; do you not understand how I worry about what will become of us when you die?"

"You mistake me my dear. I have the highest respect for your nerves; they have been my constant companion these past twenty years."

"You do not understand what I suffer!" Mrs. Forbes did not understand her husband; what did he not get? She had four daughters to get married to rich husbands before it was too late and they were left destitute with nothing! Oh, if only she had been able to produce a son! But no, she was left with daughters, and they were so much more trouble in her opinion.

"Worry not my dear; your daughters will find themselves suitable husbands I am sure. There's to be a ball to welcome Mr. Mikaelson to our province and we are all to attend; perhaps they will all find acceptable suitors there."

"A ball? Oh I must get the girls ready! We have dresses to get, and shoes to decide on. They must look perfect!" Her anger and anxiety was forgotten. In a flurry of skirts, Mrs. Forbes was out of the room and calling for the girls. They had much preparing to do; one of her daughters could very well be on her way to receiving a proposal.

* * *

Caroline decided that she much liked balls; the music, the dancing was all rather magical. She sat with her adopted sister Bonnie, watching the moving figures, enthralled by how the townspeople changed from the hardworking folk she was well aquatinted with lowering their inhibitions. "If all the men in the room do not end the night in love with you I am no judge of beauty."

"Or men." Bonnie returned laughingly.

"They are all pompous in my limited experience, hardly worth my time."

"One day, a man will come and you will bite your tongue."

Quite suddenly, the music stopped. Caroline threw a questioning glance at Bonnie, but she was looking to the doorway and the three figures there. The crowd moved back to make way for the newcomers, all of them either bowing or curtsying. Here were the much-awaited guests; Mr. Mikaelson and company. The two men bowed in return to the crowd, and the lady with them curtsied, causing the crowd to rise to their feet once more.

Everyone's focus was on Mr. Mikaelson, but Caroline's gaze was stuck to the man at his side; he was handsome, devastatingly so, but he looked so… miserable. Yes, that was it. He looked positively miserable being here at a function that was supposed to be a happy occasion. And she could not help but wonder what would cause him to be so unhappy.

The music started again after the trio had walked to the other side of the room, and most moved back to the dance floor. The Forbes girls, though, went in search of their mother as they had been instructed before the start of the ball.

"Girls! There you are; come, we must meet him before anyone else!" She looked at the girls present. "Oh, where is Caroline?"

Her friend Anna Lucas had waylaid Caroline on her way to join her family; Mr. Mikaelson and his party had been staying with her family, and she sought to tell her friend what she knew of them. "The dark haired one is Kol Mikaelson, the woman is his sister Tatia Mikaelson."

"And the man with the quizzical brow?"

"That is Mr. Darcy, lifelong friend of Mr. Mikaelson. He owns half of Derbyshire, and makes ten thousand a year."

"Ten thousand!"

"Caroline! Mother wants you." Their conversation was cut abruptly short by the appearance of Caroline's youngest sister.

"Come along Anna, I'm coming Elena." She followed her sister through the crowd to her mother's side.

"Oh Caroline, there you are! Can you not listen to anything that I say? Come along, now, before he decides to marry someone else. Mr. Forbes, will you please introduce us?"

He took his wife's arm. "Of course my dear." He led the family through the crowd, stopping in front of the new family. "Mr. Mikaelson, allow me to introduce Mrs. Forbes, and our daughters Ms. Bonnie, Ms. Caroline, Ms. Katherine, and Ms. Elena." The girls all bobbed in turn.

"It is a pleasure to meet you! Allow me to introduce my sister, Ms. Tatia, and my good friend Mr. Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire."

After the proper pleasantries had been exchanged, and Mr. Mikaelson had waltzed Bonnie onto the dance floor, Caroline was left standing to the side with Mr. Darcy and Ms. Tatia, Anna having been asked to dance.

Tired of his silence and the disdainful glance he was sending over the crowd, the people she had known all of her life, she decided to try to engage him in conversation. "Do you dance, Mr. Darcy?"

"I prefer not to engage in such frivolity." Came his short, clipped reply, effectively cutting off further conversation.

If he was not willing to engage in conversation, or take her hints to ask her to dance, she was not going to waste her time on him any longer. Caroline left shortly after to find Anna once more; at least she would be in friendly company again. They escaped for the time being, hiding from sight just as Mr. Mikaelson and Mr. Darcy walked by.

"I've never seen so many pretty girls in my life Darcy!" Caroline strained to hear what they were saying, intending to report back to Bonnie if Mr. Mikaelson said anything pertaining to her.

"You are dancing with the only beautiful woman in the room."

"She is the most beautiful woman that I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. But her sister Caroline is nearly as pretty."

"She is tolerable, but not enough to tempt me. Return to the young lady; I fear you are wasting your time here with me."

They walked away, and Anna sought to comfort her friend after the slight she had been afforded. "Pay no attention to him Care."

"Oh, do not worry. Nothing he says can possibly offend me. And I wouldn't have wanted to dance with him if he owned all of Derbyshire, and I fear he owns the miserable half."

They went to join the dancing crowd after that, and Caroline vowed to push thoughts of Mr. Darcy from her head; she did not like him she decided, not one bit.

* * *

"Mama! We just heard the most exciting news!" Katherine exclaimed, running up to her mother, Elena in tow.

"Well, tell me my girl! What is it?"

"The regimentals are coming!"

"Soldiers?" Mrs. Forbes questioned excitedly, her matchmaking gears turning furiously, even as Mr. Forbes rolled his eyes in the background at his wife's antics.

"Officers!" The sisters shouted simultaneously. If they were going to marry, they would set their hopes high; they did not want mere foot soldiers. No, they dreamed of being officer's brides.

"Officers? Oh, Mr. Forbes, can you imagine my girls, the wives of officers?"

"No my dear, I can't say that I can."

"Mr. Forbes!"

* * *

"My Bonnie is the beauty of the county; in fact once had a suitor, we were sure a proposal would come of it he was so in love with her. But she ended things." Mrs. Forbes was raving about Bonnie to the Mikaelson's, in a thinly veiled attempt to show Mr. Mikaelson what a catch he had found.

"Mama!"

"What Caroline? She did, all he did was write her some nice verses."

She sought to save the group's impression of her sister; she was not a callous girl that threw away love on some whim. "And that is what brought an end to their relationship. I wonder who was the first to discover the power of poetry to drive away love?"

"I was under the impression that poetry was the food of love."

She turned her attention back to the man who had previously offended her, deciding to somehow humiliate him in turn, even as she hid her surprise that he had even chosen to speak to her if he found her so disagreeable. "Of a strong love, it may indeed be Mr. Darcy. But in a fresh young love, a poorly written sonnet can kill any chance it had of going any further."

"What would you suggest then, to convey one's affections?"

"Dancing. Even if one's partner is barely tolerable."

And that was the end of that; she was proud of her barb, and she could see through his thinly veiled attempt to hide that he was offended by her words, which was exactly what she had set out to do.

They all witnessed poor Mr. Mikaelson basically making a fool of him self-trying to get Bonnie to react to his advances for the rest of the night. Only Caroline knew Bonnie's treatment for what it was; her shyness at any kind treatment could be overwhelming at times, and this was definitely one of those times. Bonnie was smitten with Kol Mikaelson, of that much Caroline was certain, though the man in question was obviously unaware of her affections.

* * *

They returned home, and Caroline's suspicions were confirmed once her and Bonnie were tucked away in their bed. "He is everything that a man should be Caroline. He's funny, considerate, charming. And he's such a good dancer!"

"Oh Bonnie, you sound half in love already!" In truth she was glad; though she herself held much disdain for love, her sister deserved it more than anyone she had ever met in her young life.

"I think I may be." Bonnie said with a smile, clearly thinking of the man of her affections.

"Would that I were lucky enough to be as charming and as beautiful as you. As it is, I am convinced that I shall remain an old maid."

"Don't be ridiculous Caroline! Any man would be lucky to have you; you are beautiful and would make anyone a fine wife."

"Not if Mr. Darcy is to be believed."

"I still can't believe he said that. Do not pay him any mind."

"Oh, I won't. You see, I have vowed to hate him."

**A/N: So, that's the first chapter. Let me know what you think, or if you want me to change or include anything else!**

**You can follow me on tumblr at ship-at-first-sight if you have one.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, so here's the second chapter; sorry it took so long! I wanted to have the tone of the book for the first chapter, but I'm going to try to deviate from that to capture more of Caroline and Klaus' personalities. I'm also going to use first names with the main characters because it's just less confusing, but I'll try to make the transition into that as smooth as possible. And finally, Caroline's not going to be as unwilling as Elizabeth, or her character in the show, to admit that she's attracted to Klaus, and vice versa. They might not like it but they are. Their romance might move a little faster too. I'm trying to **_**mirror **_**it not copy it.**

**Let me know if you think this works better, or if I should try to match it more to the book. I can always edit and change this chapter if it doesn't work.**

*******Happy Birthday Jori, I updated for you!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries or Pride and Prejudice. Also, if you've read City of Bones, you'll recognize something in here. I don't own City of Bones either.**

**Chapter 2**

Elizabeth was still buzzing with excitement from the ball the next morning as the entire family gathered for breakfast. That Bonnie had managed to steal Kol Mikaelson's ardor was nothing short of a miracle. The Forbes were not poor by any means; Elizabeth's father would not have allowed her to marry William had he not been able to provide for her. But with no male heir, the girls would be on the streets if they were not lucky enough to steal a rich man's gaze.

And Bonnie had. Her dear, dear Bonnie. How she had always known that the child left on their doorstep one night would bring this family good fortune with her exceptional beauty and he shrewd mind, her poise and dignity, her general ladylike charms. "Did you see Mr. Forbes? Kol, he asked us to call him by his first name, can you imagine?, danced with our Bonnie several times and hardly looked at the other girls he danced with when he was parted from her, instead searching the crowd for her!"

William, to his credit, did not lower his newspaper so his wife could see the roll of his eyes that her words caused. "I know my dear. I was there, if you remember."

She ignored him, plowing on with her thoughts. "Surely a marriage proposal can't be far off. Did you see how his eyes lit up every time he saw Bonnie?" She looked at her other daughter after a moment. "But Caroline, darling, I can't believe Mr. Darcy would say such a thing about one of my girls! You were far more handsome than half the girls there, and standing next to Anna Lucas certainly didn't hurt in making you appear even more so. How dare he say you were anything less than pretty!"

Caroline allowed herself a small smile. Her mother rarely complemented her; she was not as beautiful as Bonnie she knew, nor did she wish to be, and she would much rather read or go walking than entertain suitors. Any praise from her mother was a small victory, even when such praise was at the expense of one of her friends. "I shan't let it bother me mama. I have already put thoughts of Mr. Darcy out of my head." The truth was that his words did bother her, though she couldn't imagine why, and she had thought of nothing but him since she had first seen him standing in the entrance to the dance hall; perhaps, she admitted to herself, perhaps it was because she had never, in her life, seen a more handsome male. Of course she would think on him and his broad shoulders… his curly blond hair that begged for fingers to comb through… his deep blue eyes that one could spend hours getting lost in…. raspberry lips begging to be kissed… she blushed at her own thoughts. Perhaps she shouldn't spend as much time reading books made for men.

One of the servant's walked in, preventing further conversation on Mr. Darcy, and Caroline breathed a soft sigh of relief hoping her cheeks were not as red as she imagined them to be, handing a letter to Bonnie with a curtsey. She opened it quickly and scanned the words quickly. "Well, my girl, what does it say?" Elizabeth was certain it was from Kol, it just had to be; that things were moving so fast might cause a scandal, but her daughter would be married into the Mikaelson name! They would be saved! She would not have to worry for her girls any more, or her self. Destitution would not come for them.

"It's from Lady Tatia. Kol," Caroline hid a smirk at how easily her sister seemed to slip into using his first name, "has gone out of town, and she would like to have supper with me. Can I take the carriage mama?"

Elizabeth's face had fallen when she learnt that Tatia and not Kol wanted Bonnie's presence, but there was a solution to this. She smiled again when the crack of thunder interrupted her musings. Oh, there was definitely a solution; she should become a professional matchmaker.

"The carriage mama?" Caroline questioned for her sister who seemed to be thinking a hundred different thoughts all at once; even if the letter wasn't from Kol, gaining his sister's favor could very well help in gaining Kol's further affections.

Elizabeth turned an angry gaze on both Bonnie and Caroline for their question; could they not see what had to be done to rectify the situation and ensure that Kol spent as much time with Bonnie as possible? "Absolutely not. You can walk there."

"Walk?" The four sisters questioned at once, in varying levels of anger, each abandoning what they had been doing before that point in their shock, and even Mr. Forbes lowered the newspaper to glance questioningly at his wife. He would not interrupt his wife's matchmaking schemes, though. He knew better after so long married to her.

~P&P~

Caroline opened the door and took the letter offered to her from one of the Mikaelson footmen early the next morning. "You see what you did mama?" She fumed as she found her mother in the front parlor. "Bonnie is sick from walking in the rain. She can't leave her bed!"

The smug expression that took hold of her mother's face as she looked up from her needlework only served to infuriate her more. "Well, then my plan worked exactly, didn't it?"

William looked up from the letter he was writing at his desk with a small smirk. "I hardly think you can control the weather my dear."

"On the contrary Mr. Forbes, providence saw fit to bless one of our girls with a rich husband, and will do whatever it takes for that to be accomplished."

Caroline rolled her eyes at her parents. "I hardly think God cares for your crazy schemes. I'm going to make sure that she doesn't expire on us, and that she knows at least one of her family members actually cares if she lives or dies. With the way you two were acting, you'd think she merely got lost on the way home!" Then she stormed up the stairs to put together a small parcel of cloths.

Honestly! Her mother seemed to consider her and her sisters little more than broad mares for the selling off regardless of what happened to them! Well if _she _had children, she would let them live the lives they wanted. If they chose not to get married than so be it.

At least she was out of her house she ruminated as she walked through the fields. She could have a good while to think and be by herself before she arrived at Kol's home. And hopefully Mr. Darcy would _not _be present. She did not know if she could stand more of his insults. Her tongue might get the better of her if that became the case.

That was the cause for her lack of any suitors. Bonnie had a long string of them, and Caroline had only ever had two. Matt Donovan and Tyler Lockwood. Schoolboy friends who had done everything together including placing a bet to see who could get the unattainable girl first. She had found out, after blindly playing along with them for several weeks, and they had experienced the sharp edge of her tongue. And half the village had heard as well, and no boy would see her after that.

It was hardly her fault that she had caught the cruel boys out. But no, she was a girl and she was supposed to take everything stoically. Bah! Men could do what they wanted, say what they wanted, go where they wanted, without fear of being outcast. No that was reserved for women. And did men ever have to worry about what would become of them if they were unmarried and their father died? No! It was unfair; and Mr. Darcy could get away with it because he was a Duke and she _really_ couldn't yell at him. It was infuriating, and she would not be held responsible if he insulted her again.

She soon found herself at Netherfield. It really was a beautiful manor she thought as she rang the front bell. The butler led her into a sitting room Kol and Lady Tatia present, but no there he was. Mr. Darcy, smirking down at her muddied hem. She curtsied though, choosing to ignore his presence, though she scowled at his obvious judgment. She liked walking, and would not be stopped by a little mud. "Ms. Caroline, thank you so much for coming." Kol approached her and held out his elbow. "I'll take you to her room."

She did not chance to glance around on their assent to one of the upper levels; her concern for her sister over road all else in her mind. "Thank you for taking care of her. I fear she's always had rather a proneness to illness."

"Oh it hasn't been a bother. I was so happy to return to find Bonnie here. Not happy that she was sick of course… happy that she was here and I get to spend time with her."

Caroline marveled at him; she had never experienced love and found it hard to believe that two people could become as enamored with each other as quickly as they did. But the evidence was right in front of her eyes from Kol's reaction, and she remembered Bonnie's own reaction from their talk after the ball. If any two people in the world were in love, it was them. "I completely understand Mr. Mikaelson."

"You really must call me Kol, I've no use for being called my father's name."

"Alright then, but you must call me Caroline."

"We're agreed then. And here is her room." He opened the door they were stopped at to reveal Bonnie, pale and sweating, and yet still managing to look beautiful; she had seen her sister much worse than this, and wondered if Kol hadn't exaggerated the extent of her illness in order to get her to stay. "How are you feeling darling?"

"Much better than I was a few hours ago, thank you. Caroline, I wasn't expecting you!"

She rushed to the bedside, even as Kol joined her and sat on the edge of the bed. "I came as soon as I heard you were ill."

"You didn't have to. Kol has been taking care of me." Caroline smirked at the love struck looks the couple was exchanging, but the soft nock on the door interrupted her musings.

"Ms. Forbes, would you care to see the grounds?" Mr. Darcy appeared in the doorway, smirking at her, and she was about to refuse him, but her sister had other ideas it seemed.

"Oh go on Caroline, they're gorgeous. I know you'll enjoy them."

"All right, if you're sure Bonnie?"

"Yes, go enjoy yourself. You hardly ever get out of the house. I'd hate for you to have to be cooped up here with me. And honestly, the worst in over."

"Ms. Frobes?" Mr. Darcy asked, elbow held out for her. She rose and accepted it as he directed her back out of the room, though he kept the door open so the couple would not have suspicion placed upon them.

"Please call me Caroline Mr. Darcy, I hate all those formalities."

"I completely understand, love. Please, call me Klaus." He led her a different way than Kol had, and she saw the door that would lead them into the gardens.

"Are we to be friends then?" She laughed a little as she said it; she knew his low opinion of her, and did not expect him to change it.

"We might as well be. My best friend and your sister are quite besotted with each other."

She felt a twinge of anger at his _might as well be_, but she decided to take what she could get from him. "They do at that." The grounds really were gorgeous, she realized looking around, large and sprawling covering acres and acres with flowers of hundreds of varieties.

He turned his head towards her. "And you? Do you have any suitors?"

She was surprised by his question, since he thought her not handsome, but hid it well. "Oh no, the men of town don't like me much."

"A shame, you seem to have a healthy appreciation for nature."

"Oh, I love being out of doors. Inside it's all closed in, and confined, but out here, out here I feel free."

He smiled a little at her obvious passion for the outside, deciding to ask her more about her likes if she continued smiling like she was. "What else do you enjoy?"

"I love reading, I play a little piano, oh and horses!"

"You like horses?"

"Yes, there's something… comforting about them"

"I enjoy horses myself. You know horses are the opposite of people, they're loyal." He paused as though considering his next words, and Caroline looked at him expectantly. "My grandfather once shot my favorite horse. It wasn't really mine, but I was the only one able to break him. He wouldn't let anyone near him after that; I loved him, though, and I think he loved me. That wasn't acceptable to grandfather. Horses were not made to love, but I made him love me."

After her initial shock wore off that he would share something so personal, her indignation got the better of her. "How could he possibly think that that was all right?"

He looked down at her with a small pain-filled smile. "He never really cared for me. He brushed that event off though, saying he was merely teaching me a lesson."

"And what would that be? What lesson could possibly come out of killing a child's affection?"

"He said, that to love is to destroy and to be loved is to be destroyed."

"That's terribly cruel!" Caroline felt that she understood Klaus a little better now; if _that _had happened, what other sufferings had he endured in his lifetime?

"He wasn't an easy man to get along with by any means. But he took me in when my mother died, so I suppose he wasn't all bad."

"I'm sorry." She couldn't imagine losing either of her parents; sure her mother was difficult, and her father was often hidden behind a newspaper or a book, but they were constants at least. Even when they drove her mad.

"I don't even remember her to be honest. I was very young when she passed."

"And your father?" She asked hesitantly, since he hadn't mentioned him.

"Dead before I was born; my grandfather did not approve of the marriage, though. My father was below my mother's station. I don't think grandfather was ever able to get past that. Though he did leave the estate to me."

"Well he sounds awful honestly. Oh!" One hand flew to cover her mouth, while the other gripped his arm tighter. "I'm sorry, that was terribly rude of me. Sometimes I speak without really thinking things through."

She expected anger from him, but he chuckled instead, and she allowed herself a small victorious smile that she had taken away what seemed like his permanent scowl. "It is fine, Caroline. I have no illusions about what kind of man he was, and your honesty is quite refreshing."

"Well, I shall endeavor to be honest with you whenever the situation warrants then." Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. "In fact, I think I will start now. You were rather rude at the ball."

Klaus sighed beside her as he led her to one of the garden benches. "I find that I am rather uncomfortable in large crowds of people. I never went to a ball until after my grandfather died, and I didn't have very many friends growing up. It's easier for me to know how to act in a one on one setting."

"Well, you're doing just fine now. Though I was referring to insults of a more personal nature."

"You heard what I said to Kol, didn't you?" He sighed again at her nod. "I had an engagement that ended badly. He's been after me to find someone new for a year. If I had told him that I was attracted to you, I would have never heard the end of it."

Her mouth flopped open in shock, though she closed it quickly realizing how unattractive she must look. "So you're attracted to me then?"

He turned his body toward her and grasped her hands in his. "You are stunning Caroline. You have this light about you. I just- I don't know that I'm ready to try to be in a relationship again. Please forgive me for my words though; you were never meant to hear them."

"I don't blame you, and I will certainly forgive you. I have my own reservations about love and such. Let's try being friends, and see where things go from there. Agreed?"

Klaus smiled wider than before, and she never wanted to see that look leave his face. He was handsome, but that increased when he allowed himself to show his happiness. "Agreed."

P&P

If the two new friends had happened to glance back at the house and up, they would have seen that they were being watched by two figures.

"Do you really think it will work, Kol?"

"I hope so darling. We went through all the trouble of getting her to come here."

"He's really attracted to her?"

"Oh yes. I know him, and I know when he's lying. He did nothing but speak of her when he and I left town."

"And she was trying to force herself to hate him."

"Playing matchmaker could prove fun Bonnie dear."

"That it could, I'm beginning to see why my mother loves it so."

He paused, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him. "Are we ever going to tell everyone that we already knew each other?"

She smiled up at him. "Let's keep that a secret for now. I'm enjoying watching my mother try to cook up plans to make you fall in love with me."

**A/N: Again, super sorry for the long wait! Hope you enjoyed the chapter, let me know!**

**Also, I can be found on tumblr at ship-at-first-sight**


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